On September 10, 2003,
after the arrest of its 5 principal members, Sheriff Les Weidman
described this criminal street gang:

There was nothing
nice about these people, they were nothing but ugly thugs. . . .
During these invasions there was sexual abuse, at least one
homeowner was shot, and many more were assaulted. . . . They were
highly organized and left very little evidence for us to work
with. . . .The scars left on the victims are forever.

All of the suspects
face charges of attempted murder, criminal conspiracy, assault with
a deadly weapon, home invasion robbery, and being members of a
criminal street gang, the Norteņos, operated from within the walls
of the Pelican Bay State Prison.

They also frequently used duct tape or clear packaging tape to bind
their victims. Laci had duct tape on her, and Conner had clear
plastic packaging tape around his neck.

To join the Norteņos and rise in its ranks takes years of studying
the gang's written constitution, training, and committing violent
crimes inside and outside of prison. One "test" a prospective member
must pass to join is to have committed at least one murder for "the
cause."

Have the members of this gang been questioned about their
whereabouts on December 24? Do they have solid alibis?

Home Invasion Robbery Timeline

May 20, 2002:
Mathew Rodriguez, age 23, formerly of Modesto, forced his way into the victim's Oakdale Road
apartment, put a gun to the victim's head, and marched the victim into the
bedroom. Rodriguez struck the victim in the head with the gun. The
victim played dead while Rodriguez ransacked the apartment. Rodriguez
was convicted of home invasion robbery, burglary, assault with a firearm,
evading a peace officer, and receiving stolen property on September 26, 2002.

October 22, 2002:
David Anthony Silva, one of four masked men involved in a home invasion in Del
Rio, an exclusive development north of Modesto. Authorities said the four
masked men surprised a husband and wife as they slept about 4 a.m., woke them
up at gunpoint and bound them with duct tape. Pete Cota, 35, of Salida, was
apprehended 2 days later in possession of goods stolen in the robbery.
Silva was apprehended on September 10, 2003. The other two suspects had
not been identified as of November 9, 2003.

December 24, 11:40 a.m. Diane
Jackson saw three men and a mysterious tan van in front of the Medina home,
which is just across the street from the Petersons. One rear van door was open, the other ajar.

In interviewing Jackson, police displayed pictures
of three men suspected of being the trio she spotted in front of the Medina
home. The pictures were of men who previously performed yard work for Jackson,
and clearly different from the men Jackson saw in front of the Medina home,
according to the account. Jackson later underwent hypnosis at the police
department to help her remember more details.

Police eventually discounted the sightings of the
van, saying it belonged to landscapers. However, Jackson says she saw no
landscaping equipment with the three men. Jackson said the men were short with
dark complexions and appeared Asian or Hispanic.

The Medina home was burglarized sometime between
early morning December 24 and the Medina's return on the 26th. LE
concluded that the burglary took place in the early morning hours of the
26th and arrested two men, neither of whom fit Jackson's description.
However, the Medinas are certain the burglary took place on the 24th, and
camera crews already lined the street by the morning of the 26th, making it
unlikely that the two thieves could have carried a safe out to the front lawn
without being noticed.

The Medinas' concern from the beginning was that
Laci was abducted when she interrupted the burglary of their home.

February 19, 2003:
Nathaniel Helton and David Anthony Silva, 29, of Modesto, who is still at
large, were wanted in connection to an alleged kidnapping that took place in
Modesto. The men allegedly kidnapped a woman at gunpoint, but she was later
able to escape from them following a pursuit by the California Highway Patrol.
Helton was arrested in March.

August 21, 2003:
Modesto. Home invasion robbery about 1 a.m. on Miller Avenue, just off
El Vista Avenue between Scenic Drive and Yosemite Boulevard north of Modesto
Airport. Police said two gunmen ducked under a partially open garage door and
confronted four men who were playing darts. A third robber stood guard
outside. The robbers used clear plastic packing tape to bind the men's hands
and legs, Sgt. Craig Plante said. They took wallets, jewelry and other
property from the victims, then ransacked the house. The gang also escaped
with an unknown amount of cash from a safe.

August 21, 2003:
Concerned citizens met with the Sheriff's department in Turlock. The
Sheriff's department admitted it had no leads that would result in imminent
arrests, and were not even sure if the robberies were the work of a single
crew. Modesto LE said that the home invasion in Modesto that same
morning did not appear to be connected to the other robberies.

September 10, 2003:
5 individuals were cornered and apprehended in this home invasion robbery at a
rural home in the 3300 block of Swanson Road in Hickman. Darlene Fouse,
29, of Modesto was the alleged getaway driver and was caught fleeing the car.
David Michael Silva,
Sr., 54 of Hilmar, fled from the getaway car and was found hiding in a
backyard shed on South Avenue in Turlock. David Anthony Silva,
Jr., 29 of Riverbank was witnessed shooting directly at Sheriffs deputies when
fleeing from the getaway car. Anthony
Lawrence Martinez, 22 of Turlock, fled
from the getaway car and was found hiding in a backyard of a resident. David Wayne Morrison,
20 of Delhi, fled from the getaway car and was found hiding inside a home in
the 600 block of South Avenue.

September 10, 2003:
6 others believed associated with
the home invasion robberies were arrested. Virginia Elizabeth Ellsworth-Dudek, 24 of
Hilmar was arrested for Accessory to a Crime(s), Attempted Murder and Home
Invasion Robbery. Jeanette Anna Rodriguez, 37 of Delhi was arrested for
Accessory to a Crime(s), Home Invasion Robbery, Criminal Conspiracy, and
criminal street gang enhancement. Dale Shamblin,
41 of Turlock was arrested on a Calif. State Parole violation. He was arrested
at a Turlock home where investigators found stolen property from at least one
previous home invasion robbery. Gwen
Katrina Gregg, 26 of Turlock, was arrested on an
unrelated auto theft and return to custody warrants. Investigators believe she
could be facing additional charges related to the home invasion robberies.
Mario Hernandez, 22 of
Turlock, was arrested on an unrelated drug warrant. He was found at the same
home where suspect David Wayne Morrison was hiding. Della Gonzales, 32, Delhi,
was arrested at a Turlock jewelry store after she tried to pawn some diamonds
that were stolen during a home invasion robbery in Merced.

September 12, 2003:
Stanislaus Country Press Update, including photos and booking information for
the 10 suspects arrested on September 10. Also a picture of the 11th
person arrested by the task force.

October 11, 2003:
Efforts by the Prosecution to seal search warrant documents related to the
home invasion activities in northern San Joaquin Valley. Prosecutors
claim the documents should be sealed because the investigation is on-going.
Investigators have said 11 the defendants are part of a criminal gang linked
to a majority of 22 home invasions in the area between January and September.

October 18, 2003:
The court released two affidavits and search warrants, dated Sept. 10 and 11,
issued by Judge McFadden, but did not the documents related to seven warrants
issued prior to Sept. 2. The unsealed warrants describe eight of the home
invasion robberies, and tell what residents said happened -- including two sex
assaults on women. On the judge's order, the women's names are blacked out in
the copies made available to the public. The judge also withheld about a page
of other information from both affidavits, which could endanger a confidential
informant.

October 22, 2003:
A Stanislaus County grand jury handed up a 50-count felony indictment against
five of the 11 people arrested in September in a string of home invasion
robberies. The indictment names David Silva, 29, of Riverbank; his father,
David Michael Silva, 54, of Hilmar; Anthony Lawrence Martinez, 22, of Turlock;
David Wayne Morrison, 20, of Delhi; and Darlene Fouse, 29, of Modesto. The
indictment charges Martinez, Morrison and the younger Silva with committing 53
crimes while carrying out 12 robberies from May 25 to Sept. 10, including May
15 in Keyes, June 26 in Turlock, July 15 in Modesto, July 21 in Delhi, July 24
in Turlock, Aug. 4 in Merced, Aug. 7 in Turlock, Aug. 11 in Delhi, Aug. 11 in
Hughson, Aug. 12 and Aug. 15 in Ceres, and Sep. 10 in Denair. The indictment
charges that they committed the crimes to benefit the Norteņos street gang.

Home Invasion Bibliography

Effort made to seal
warrants

ModBee, October 11, 2003. Report on efforts by the Prosecution to seal
search warrant documents related to the home invasion activities in northern San
Joaquin Valley. Prosecutors claim the documents should be sealed because
the investigation is on-going. Investigators have said 11 the defendants
are part of a criminal gang linked to a majority of 22 home invasions in the
area between January and September.

ModBee,
August 22, 2003. The fear of home invasions multiplied as Modesto police
dealt with an early morning attack and close to 300 people gathered in Turlock
for a meeting with high-ranking sheriff's officers. The Stanislaus County
Sheriff's Department has logged 13 home invasion robberies this year around
Turlock, Keyes and Ceres -- including four between Aug. 8 and Aug. 15. Others
have occurred in northern Merced County. Most of the home invasion robberies
have happened between midnight and 6 a.m. And while many of the crimes have
similarities, sheriff's investigators have stopped short of saying the invasions
are the work of one crew. A Modesto police investigator, however, gave some
hints when he reported that Thursday morning's home invasion in his jurisdiction
did not appear to be connected to the other robberies.

Press
Release, Stanislaus Co. Sheriff's Dept., September 10, 2003. Facts and
details on the home invasion robbery at a rural home in the 3300 block of
Swanson Road in Hickman. Drive of the getaway car and 4 passengers
arrested.

Home invasion suspect charged in 2002
robbery

ModBee,
Nov 9, 2003. David Anthony Silva, one of four masked men involved in a
home invasion in Del Rio, an exclusive development north of Modesto. Authorities
said the four masked men surprised a husband and wife as they slept about 4
a.m., woke them up at gunpoint and bound them with duct tape. Article
includes history of the stakeouts which resulted in Silva's arrest.

Judge unseals two
invasion case documents

ModBee,
October 18, 2003. The court released two affidavits and search warrants,
dated Sept. 10 and 11, issued by Judge McFadden, but did not the documents
related to seven warrants issued prior to Sept. 2. The unsealed warrants
describe eight of the home invasion robberies, and tell what residents said
happened -- including two sex assaults on women. On the judge's order, the
women's names are blacked out in the copies made available to the public. The
judge also withheld about a page of other information from both affidavits,
which could endanger a confidential informant.

Jury indicts invasion
suspects

ModBee,
October 22, 2003. A Stanislaus County grand jury has handed up a 50-count
felony indictment against five of the 11 people arrested last month in a string
of home invasion robberies. The indictment names David Silva, 29, of Riverbank;
his father, David Michael Silva, 54, of Hilmar; Anthony Lawrence Martinez, 22,
of Turlock; David Wayne Morrison, 20, of Delhi; and Darlene Fouse, 29, of
Modesto. The indictment charges Martinez, Morrison and the younger Silva with
committing 53 crimes while carrying out 12 robberies from May 25 to Sept. 10,
including May 15 in Keyes, June 26 in Turlock, July 15 in Modesto, July 21 in
Delhi, July 24 in Turlock, Aug. 4 in Merced, Aug. 7 in Turlock, Aug. 11 in
Delhi, Aug. 11 in Hughson, Aug. 12 and Aug. 15 in Ceres, and Sep. 10 in Denair.
The indictment charges that they committed the crimes to benefit the Norteņos
street gang.

Stanislaus County Press Release, September 26, 2002. Rodriguez was
convicted of home invasion robbery, burglary, assault with a firearm, evading a
peace officer, and receiving stolen property. On May 22, 2003, Rodriguez
forced his way into the victim's Oakdale Road apartment, put a gun to the
victim's head, and marched the victim into the bedroom. Rodriguez struck
the victim in the head with the gun. The victim played dead while
Rodriguez ransacked the apartment.

Manteca Bulletin
Online, March 05, 2003. Nathaniel Helton and David Anthony Silva, 29, of
Modesto, who is still at large, were wanted in connection to an alleged
kidnapping that took place in Modesto. The men allegedly kidnapped a woman at
gunpoint, but she was later able to escape from them following a pursuit by the
California Highway Patrol. Helton was arrested in the standoff reported in
this article. The article also reports on the failed efforts to apprehend
Silva.

San
Francisco Chronicle, November 29, 2003. Very detailed report on how
the "Nuestra Familia" gang members (aka Norteņos) operate within the prison
system and the FBI's $5 million crime-fighting effort dubbed Operation Black
Widow, in which several Nuestra Familia members agreed to become FBI informants;
they wanted protection when they found themselves on the gang's hit list, or
they cut a deal as the government was about to indict them. To join Nuestra
Familia and rise in its ranks takes years of studying the gang's written
constitution, training, and committing violent crimes inside and outside of
prison. One "test" a prospective member must pass to join is to have committed
at least one murder for "the cause."

California Farm Bureau Federation, September 3, 2003.
This year, the unincorporated areas of Stanislaus County have been hit with 19
home invasion robberies, compared to only six last year. Thirteen of the
robberies took place in Keyes, Ceres and Turlock. The others occurred in the
unincorporated areas of Modesto, Salida, Hughson, Waterford and Patterson.
Merced County LE also reported a few home invasions as well.

Stanislaus County
Press Update, September 12, 2003. Pictures and booking information on 10
individuals arrested in connection with the Home Invasion Robberies. Added
is the photo Della Gonzales, arrested in a jewelry store in Turlock after she
tried to pawn some diamonds that were stolen during a home invasion robbery in
Merced.

TheKCRAChannel, September 10,
2003. Five men were arrested Wednesday
afternoon after a family was attacked and robbed in a rural Stanislaus County
home. Authorities said the suspects broke into the Denair home around 4 a.m.
"Four suspects went into the home ... assaulted the residents inside the home
... stole some money and property from the residents and then left in a car,"
Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department spokesman Kelly Huston said.